Michael Lombardi's Midseason Super Bowl Pick

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by GP

I'm beyond the whole Kubiak bashing thing. I'm into a mode of being critically objective about issues, and this issue with a consistently "slow starting" offense is a huge pain in the ass. It should not be happening. They want to take a nap after racing out to a 14 or 21-point lead? Fine. But they want to dick around for half the game before putting up points? We won't beat teams who race out to leads like Green Bay or Atlanta or Patriots.

Love the calm, but it's also been a detriment at times too. Period.

I understand what you're saying, but the defense don't win games. The offense doesn't win games. It takes a team to win. Without an offense, we're the Jags, or the Dolphins, or last years Raiders, or Browns.

I'm impressed by our defense & I give Wade all the credit for that turnaround... well, maybe not all, but a good portion of it none the less.

But they aren't 85 bears good, or Super Bowl Ravens good. They are at their best when our offense keeps them on the sideline. Allowing them to rest & go all out when they do get on the field.

[ObsiWan]

Originally Posted by GP

This isn't about intentional actions.

This isn't about me having overly huge ambitions for the offense.

This is about those guys scoring a TD on an opening drive, getting the ball back and scoring another TD, and doing that one more time out of the next possession or two.

They're good enough to do that, especially against weak-ass teams like the Bills. Do you not agree?

No. I don't.
The Bills came out inspired. Case in point: Up to this point Mario had, what, 3-1/2 sacks. He nearly he got two in this game...

Sometimes it takes a quarter - or more - to figure out what defense the other guys are running and where they are concentrating their resources.

For example, since, statistically the Bills sucked against the run and we have Arian Foster. So logic says we should run it down their throats, right? First two, maybe three, series, we try that approach and they stuff our running game. Time for "plan B".
However, it took two/three series to get that data. So your theory of "going right down the field and scoring" the first three times we have the ball is straight down the toliet ain't it?

Then there's the case where what we try the first series works like a charm. Five, six, seven plays and bam 7 pts on the board. Well their D-coordinator get's paid not to let that happen again so the switch their resources to stop what worked. It'll take us another series to see how they adjusted and for us to compensate and counter.



Like TPN said, at times you have to let the game unfold to find out where and how to best attack.

[ThaShark316]

The Texans going up top on 4th and 6 with 3 mins left UP 12 should stop some of this silly talk.

[ObsiWan]

Originally Posted by ThaShark316

The Texans going up top on 4th and 6 with 3 mins left UP 12 should stop some of this silly talk.

You forgot to add that we were in reasonable FG range - maybe a 45-yarder. So ole conservative, "Turtle", Kubiak should have put the three pts on the board. Yet - horrors!! - he went for the throat. Somehow the offensive brain trust gets no credit for that gamble.

[Scooter]

Originally Posted by GP

This isn't about intentional actions.

This isn't about me having overly huge ambitions for the offense.

This is about those guys scoring a TD on an opening drive, getting the ball back and scoring another TD, and doing that one more time out of the next possession or two.

They're good enough to do that, especially against weak-ass teams like the Bills. Do you not agree?

name one team that has ever consistently scored on 3 of their first 4 possessions, regardless of their opponent? you're losing touch bud, even weak-ass teams are paid professionals with exceptional talent.

[Texn4life]

Originally Posted by Scooter

name one team that has ever consistently scored on 3 of their first 4 possessions, regardless of their opponent? you're losing touch bud, even weak-ass teams are paid professionals with exceptional talent.

We've just become a spoiled and unrealistic bunch. The Packer eeked out a win at home against the Jags a few weeks back. Most of the talk on their boards was, "yeah we have to play better but we got the win. Thats the most important thing." Somewhere in the past 2 years we've figured that we have to win with style points. I don't get it, but maybe its not for me to understand.

[ObsiWan]

Originally Posted by Texn4life

We've just become a spoiled and unrealistic bunch. The Packer eeked out a win at home against the Jags a few weeks back. Most of the talk on their boards was, "yeah we have to play better but we got the win. Thats the most important thing." Somewhere in the past 2 years we've figured that we have to win with style points. I don't get it, but maybe its not for me to understand.

I don't get it myself.
Must be a Madden or BCS thing.
I don't do either.

[GP]

Originally Posted by Scooter

name one team that has ever consistently scored on 3 of their first 4 possessions, regardless of their opponent? you're losing touch bud, even weak-ass teams are paid professionals with exceptional talent.

READ ME COMPLETELY, PLEASE!

I said I'd like that to happen 3 or 4 games per reg season!

%$#!@$%! do you any of you read?!?!? Geez almighty.

3. Or. 4. Games. Please.

I just want to see them do it. Is that being obnoxious??? No, it isn't. I just want to see us kill a team in the first quarter and watch them squirm...instead of US squirming throughout the first quarter wondering if the offense is going to get it in gear now or maybe 2nd quarter, or maybe after the half. Etc.

[76Texan]

If I'm not mistaken; none of the NFL offense has scored 21 points in the first quarter this year. The Bears did rack up a lot of points against the Titans; however, 14 of them were by the defense.
To expect the Texans to be able to do it once or twice already is too much to ask.
Also, with the way the Texans run their offense, they would rather go on long scoring drives, it's unrealistic to expect 21 points in the first quarter.
What is important is that the Texans ranks 4th in first quarter scoring. And without the Bears defensive scoring, they will be behind the Texans. In term of offensive scoring, the Texans ranks no worse than third.

[ObsiWan]

Originally Posted by GP

READ ME COMPLETELY, PLEASE!

I said I'd like that to happen 3 or 4 games per reg season!

%$#!@$%! do you any of you read?!?!? Geez almighty.

3. Or. 4. Games. Please.

I just want to see them do it. Is that being obnoxious??? No, it isn't. I just want to see us kill a team in the first quarter and watch them squirm...instead of US squirming throughout the first quarter wondering if the offense is going to get it in gear now or maybe 2nd quarter, or maybe after the half. Etc.

We all read. It's just we can't believe you're serious. You flat out called Andre Johnson, Matt Schaub, Arian Foster, Duane Brown, Chris Myers, Owen Daniels, et. al. are... what was it... "Sandbaggin' Bastards". After all, they are the key members of the offense that you say are "sitting on their asses" or "dick around before putting up points".

do you even hear yourself?

[ObsiWan]

Originally Posted by 76Texan

If I'm not mistaken; none of the NFL offense has scored 21 points in the first quarter this year. The Bears did rack up a lot of points against the Titans; however, 14 of them were by the defense.
To expect the Texans to be able to do it once or twice already is too much to ask.
Also, with the way the Texans run their offense, they would rather go on long scoring drives, it's unrealistic to expect 21 points in the first quarter.
What is important is that the Texans ranks 4th in first quarter scoring. And without the Bears defensive scoring, they will be behind the Texans. In term of offensive scoring, the Texans ranks no worse than third.

True statement; at least for the three shining examples (Pats, Falcons, & Packers) he gave us. Now the Pats did score in their first five possessions against the lowly Rams but they only put up seven pts. in the first quarter of that game.